Given the reliance on computers, computing devices (e.g., cellular telephones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, and the like), and automated systems (e.g., automated teller machines, kiosks, etc.) to conduct secure transactions and/or access private data, user authentication is critical. Traditional approaches to user authentication often require users to create and maintain multiple credentials for every account, as well as undergo multiple logins for these accounts daily even if the users have previously been authenticated. As a result, such traditional approaches place significant burdens on the user to remember and provide user credentials for authentication, thereby potentially creating a poor user experience. Thus, there is a need for an approach for applying a user authentication mechanism that is based on little to no manual sign on actions (i.e., zero sign on) by the user.